Blog:Candy companies trick or treat their way to bigger profits

According to the latest data from US trade organisation the National Retail Federation, more US consumers are going to be spending more money this Halloween.

The NRF's 2012 Halloween consumer spending survey, released earlier this week (25 September), found that 71.5% of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, up from 68.6% last year. And, on average, US shoppers are planning to spend more on Halloween treats, decorations and costumers - up to US$79.82 each, from $72.31 last year.

Proclaiming that there is "no spooking spending" this year, the NRF concluded Halloween spending is expected to reach a whopping $8bn.

This will be music to the ears of the likes of Cadbury, Mars and Hershey who invest significant sums each year to roll out holiday-themed confections as they jostle for space in trick or treat pails throughout the country.

It's light on specific details but a new "strategic policy roadmap" for 2018 from the US Food and Drug Administration should give manufacturers a sense of where the agency could be looking to act this...